The Department of Personnel & Training has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005.

The RTI Act was last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders.

Commenting on the nature of the Draft RTI rules, Venkatesh Nayak of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative said, “There are positive aspects of the draft rule that has to be appreciated like provision for dealing with non- compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission by public authorities, posting of non-compliance cases involving public interest before larger benches of the CIC, procedure for filing complaints under Section 18(1) of the RTI Act, prescription of formats for filing appeals and complaints without making them mandatory. "

However, the RTI expert, Venkatesh, asserted that the New Draft has more problems than positive features and that with the whistleblower protection law put in cold storage with regressive amendments the Centre’s proposal will increase attacks on RTI users and activists.

Pointing out the negative aspects of the Draft RTI Rules, Venkatesh said, “To begin with, the very approach to the Rule-making exercise has not moved from a bureaucratic one to a citizen–friendly one. Some of the new proposals seem to be inspired by the overtly bureaucratic and are largely citizen unfriendly."

In an analytical statement, CHRI pointed at the following problems in the New Draft: "Allowance for the withdrawal and abatement is like a death sentence, draft rule 12 seeks to empower the CIC to permit withdrawal of an appeal if an appellant makes a written request. By legally permitting withdrawal of appeals vested interests will feel emboldened to pressurise RTI users to withdraw their appeals before the CIC. Turning appeals and complaints procedures into complex court procedures. Mandatory requirements of an RTI application in complaint cases. No person other than a designated officer should decide first appeals. No time limits for serving notice of hearings on appellants and complainants. DOPT does not seem to be keeping up with NDA's digital revolution."

The human rights organisation also pointed out what is missing from amendment proposals and what should have been there.

No procedure for deciding first appeals. No rules for deciding appeals in life and liberty cases. No time for CIC to decide cases among others.

Venkatesh Nayak called the consultation very elitist, “The DoPT’s notification states ( In English) that comments may be offered on the Draft RTI rules, 2017, only via email by 15th April, 2017.”

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday told the Supreme Court that it is investigating former finance minister P Chidambaram's role in the 2G scam case and that it needed a month's time to file its report in this regard.

During the course of hearing the petitioner alleged that the CBI was taking too long to probe into the case. The apex court observed that the report ought to have been ready by now, but the CBI took too long. It has been so long, but the CBI seems to have just started, it said.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate has filed a status report in the apex court in the Aircel-Maxis case. On an earlier occasion, the ED had moved the SC against the discharge order passed against the Maran brothers. The SC had, however, refused to stay the order of the trial court.

The Enforcement Directorate filed a status report over FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board) violation and mentioned alleged role of Congress leader and former minister P Chidambaram.

Further hearing on the matter has been fixed  for 2 May.

Earlier the Delhi High Court had refused to interfere in the Aircel-Maxis case as the matter is pending before a special court set up by the Supreme Court.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal declined to entertain a PIL seeking directions to the CBI to move the trial court for “attachment and forfeiture of shares and all the assets of Aircel Ltd”, as held by Maxis and its subsidiaries.

The top court had in February asked BJP leader Subramanian Swamy to place before it concrete evidence backing his plea for probe into the role of then Finance Minister Chidambaram into alleged breach of norms committed by the FIPB in approving the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006.

Swamy had referred to the CAG report which has pointed to two alleged illegalities in the grant of approval to Aircel-Maxis deal by the FIPB. According to Swamy, the CAG in its 2015 report pointed to two illegalities in the grant of approval by FIPB involving Maxis acquiring 93.3 per cent stake in the Aircel Tele Ventures Ltd through its 'wos' the GCSHL.

This, Swamy said, was in excess of the then ceiling of 74 per cent investment by a foreign entity in the Indian telecom company. The second illegality, Swamy said, was that since the foreign investment in Aircel was more than Rs.600 crore it should have gone to the Cabinet Committee for Economic Affairs for approval but it was instead cleared by the FIPB.

Ramgarh became the first district in Jharkhand to become open defecation free (ODF).

The target was achieved with the completion of construction of 77,701 toilets in 2016/17, an official release said hereon Monday.

Reviewing the Swachh Bharat Mission with all district Deputy Commissioners through video conferencing, Chief Secretary Rajbala Verma directed that every district should be ODF by 2019 and to achieve the objective, strategies should be drawn, the release said.

Twelve more districts have been selected as target districts to make them ODF, the release said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today inaugurated a helipad at Dumurjala in Howrah district.

Inaugurating the helipad, Banerjee said 26 government helipads have been constructed across the state at district headquarters and other important locations.

She said helipads will help air transport and helicopter services in the state.

Construction of helipads has been completed at Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Jaigaon, Chalsha, Balurghat, Malda, Behrampore, Krishnanagar, Santiniketan, Bankura, Charrah, Jhargram, Medinipur, Digha, Haldia, Arambagh, Chinsurah, Basirhat, Bongaon, Canning, Sagar, Dumurjala, Behala, she said.

Work is in progress for two more helipads at Falakata and Mukutmanipur, the West Bengal Chief Minister added.

The Border Security Force has seized Fake Indian Currency Notes of face value of Rs 4 lakh in Rs 2,000 denomination in two areas of northern West Bengal since Sunday, an official release said.

Acting on a specific information, BSF personnel, under Border Outpost Churiantpur near the India-Bangladesh border fence gate, had laid an ambush when they saw some miscreants on the Bangladesh side throwing a bundle over the fence towards Indian side.

The BSF personnel challenged the persons waiting on the Indian side but they fled taking advantage of the darkness and muddy field. On thorough search of the area, the BSF party recovered a bundle containing FICN of face value Rs 3 lakh in Rs 2,000 denomination notes.

On Monday, the BSF acted on an information that one suspect had come from Jharkand to collect an FICN consignment.

BSF troopers from sector headquarters Malda and 24th Bn carried out an operation and detained the suspect. Following a search, a bundle of FICN of face value Rs 1 lakh in Rs 2,000 denomination notes were recovered from him.

A mobile phone, Aadhaar Card and a driving licence were recovered from his possession. He was later handed over to police.

Allaying fears of the public over the "artificial eggs" issue, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said a probe is on in the matter but exhorted the public to consume eggs produced in the state without any apprehension.

"I had a discussIon with the Bengal poultry foundation. I have given them the responsibility to label eggs produced in Bengal. Bengal produces 80 lakh eggs. There is no problem with eggs produced in Bengal. Just check that they should be Bengal eggs. 

"We are investigating the eggs that have come from outside. Preliminary reports say there is nothing objectionable. We will do three or four additional investigations. Also, please remember eggs can be of different varieties," she said at a public meeting here.

The artificial eggs controversy came to light after a woman lodged a police complaint alleging she was sold "fake eggs" that had a strange "plastic-like quality" when they were spread out on a pan.

A shopkeeper was arrested in connection with the case.

The Trinamool Congress supremo said action will be taken if something is discovered.

"I asked about plastic eggs… Whether its correct thing or not… I want to find out. If there is any truth in the matter, then I will take action. I asked whether costs would increase in case of plastic eggs and the poultry federation said plastic eggs would cost more than regular ones," Banerjee said, stressing eggs also spoil in the heat and may emanate a foul odour and seem different.

"Don't distort or misinform my friends (in the eggs issue). We will become self-sufficient in egg production. We will set up poultries for ducks like we have for hens," she said.

She also took potshots at the Communist Party of India-Marxist that had attacked her government over the Maggi controversy in 2015. Following reports that certain batches of the popular noodles had higher-than-permissible levels of lead, the Bengal government had launched its own tests, which revealed the absence of any unwanted substances.

"Do you remember what happened over the Maggi controversy? Investigations showed there were no complaints. CPI-M accused us of taking bribe. We are not greedy. Then what happened later? Aren't people eating Maggi now ? So let there be a counter-probe then," she added.

A team from Indian Navy is all set for an expedition to the Mt. Everest, the world's tallest mountain peak once again, officials said on Monday.

The mission is named "Sagartal se Sagarmatha", and involves 24 avid climbers from the Indian Navy. They will scale the Everest. The flag-off was conducted 50 metres below the sea surface in Submarine Sindhuraj.

Sagarmatha is the Nepali name for Mt. Everest.

Charge d'Affairs at the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, Binaya Kumar will see off the expedition that is expected to scale the mountain in May.

Coordinator of the expedition team, Sanjay Kumar Kulkarni said in a press conference here: "We are climbing Mt. Everest with the slogan 'From the Sea to the Everest'."

The Indian Navy team would leave for Jiri, a northern city of Nepal and begin trekking to the Everest base camp.

Acclaimed Nepalese mountaineer Mingma Sherpa will accompany the Indian team, the officials said.

The team has already been drawn from personnel serving on the nuclear submarine INS Chakra and the destroyer INS Chennai, from the flying arm and from the Marcos (Marine Commandos) of the Indian Navy.

"Though we know the challenges behind scaling the Everest, we are confident that we will accomplish it," Kulkarni added.

Of 24, 18 Naval personnel will climb the Everest while remaining eight members would stay at base camp for support.

The team would be taking the original route that was used by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay to scale the Everest way back in 1953.

The window period for scaling the Everest, if weather permits, according to Kulkarni, is around May 11-18. 
 

A team from Indian Navy is all set for an expedition to the Mt. Everest, the world's tallest mountain peak once again, officials said on Monday.

The mission is named "Sagartal se Sagarmatha", and involves 24 avid climbers from the Indian Navy. They will scale the Everest. The flag-off was conducted 50 metres below the sea surface in Submarine Sindhuraj.

Sagarmatha is the Nepali name for Mt. Everest.

Charge d'Affairs at the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, Binaya Kumar will see off the expedition that is expected to scale the mountain in May.

Coordinator of the expedition team, Sanjay Kumar Kulkarni said in a press conference here: "We are climbing Mt. Everest with the slogan 'From the Sea to the Everest'."

The Indian Navy team would leave for Jiri, a northern city of Nepal and begin trekking to the Everest base camp.

Acclaimed Nepalese mountaineer Mingma Sherpa will accompany the Indian team, the officials said.

The team has already been drawn from personnel serving on the nuclear submarine INS Chakra and the destroyer INS Chennai, from the flying arm and from the Marcos (Marine Commandos) of the Indian Navy.

"Though we know the challenges behind scaling the Everest, we are confident that we will accomplish it," Kulkarni added.

Of 24, 18 Naval personnel will climb the Everest while remaining eight members would stay at base camp for support.

The team would be taking the original route that was used by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay to scale the Everest way back in 1953.

The window period for scaling the Everest, if weather permits, according to Kulkarni, is around May 11-18. 
 

The nine divine nights of Navratri shower supreme bliss, knowledge, peace and serenity to all believers. Maa Durga riding on a tiger with a smile animates a glorious aura in all 10 directions. Maa Shakti is worshipped for nine days and on the day of Ashtami, the eighth day, she is offered prasad (sacrificial food) with all heart and devotion. The day is celebrated as Durga Ashtami across all india. The fasting period comes to an end on this day and everyone. The nine-day puja is incomplete without offering bhog to nine forms of Durga mata on Ashtami.

Maa Durga personifies love and loyalty- a super powerful deity ‘Shakti’ in the Hindu mythology is worshipped in various forms. She is Uma, Gauri, Kali, Bhairavi, Parvati and the mother of the world – Jagat mata.

People prepare Ashtami Prasad in their houses. It consists of kala chana (black chickpeas) paired with sooji halwa and puri. During this puja, young girls are worshipped and the ritual is referred as Kanjak poojan. People wash their feet, apply kumkum on their foreheads and tie sacred moli on their hands. Later, they are offered Ashtami Prasad and given gifts in the form of money and toys. Weapons of goddess are also worshipped on this day and thus it is known as Astra Puja. Shakti temples conduct special pujas and are visited by millions of devotees on the day of Ashtami.

The next day of Durga Ashtami is Rama Navami. The birth of Lord Rama is celebrated on this ninth day of Chaitra Navaratri. The leelas of Lord Rama are celebrated in the social spirit. People recite the holy Hindu religious epic Ramayana, take part in bhajans and kirtans in temples or homes. They engage themselves in the services at temples of Rama with highly devotional mood. Few also take part in the Abhishek ceremony of the Lord at big temples. Lord Rama is an ideal whose life story makes us learn the art of performing our duties as an obedient son, a loyal brother, a true husband and a humble soul towards the tumbled and the troubled. His life inspires the devotees to remove the bad powers and enter divine strength into them.

On the day of Rama Navami, people generally take bath in the sacred river Saryu in Ayodhya and offer jal to the Hindu God Sun who is believed to be the ancestor of Rama. They chant Vedic mantras and the whole process is observed with a belief that their body and soul will get purified with the blessings of supreme power.

Chariot processing is also a great event of Rama Navami to show the peaceful Rama Rajya. The statues of Lord Rama, Lakhshmana, Mata Sita and Hanuman are decorated everywhere. They are worshipped and offered sweets and prasad for the good future and health of near and dear ones.

Both the days are auspicious and of great significance in Hindu mythology.

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Shakti Rupena Sansthita

Namastawai Namastaswai Namastaswai Namo Namah.

The nine divine nights of Navratri shower supreme bliss, knowledge, peace and serenity to all believers. Maa Durga riding on a tiger with a smile animates a glorious aura in all 10 directions. Maa Shakti is worshipped for nine days and on the day of Ashtami, the eighth day, she is offered prasad (sacrificial food) with all heart and devotion. The day is celebrated as Durga Ashtami across all india. The fasting period comes to an end on this day and everyone. The nine-day puja is incomplete without offering bhog to nine forms of Durga mata on Ashtami.

Maa Durga personifies love and loyalty- a super powerful deity ‘Shakti’ in the Hindu mythology is worshipped in various forms. She is Uma, Gauri, Kali, Bhairavi, Parvati and the mother of the world – Jagat mata.

People prepare Ashtami Prasad in their houses. It consists of kala chana (black chickpeas) paired with sooji halwa and puri. During this puja, young girls are worshipped and the ritual is referred as Kanjak poojan. People wash their feet, apply kumkum on their foreheads and tie sacred moli on their hands. Later, they are offered Ashtami Prasad and given gifts in the form of money and toys. Weapons of goddess are also worshipped on this day and thus it is known as Astra Puja. Shakti temples conduct special pujas and are visited by millions of devotees on the day of Ashtami.

The next day of Durga Ashtami is Rama Navami. The birth of Lord Rama is celebrated on this ninth day of Chaitra Navaratri. The leelas of Lord Rama are celebrated in the social spirit. People recite the holy Hindu religious epic Ramayana, take part in bhajans and kirtans in temples or homes. They engage themselves in the services at temples of Rama with highly devotional mood. Few also take part in the Abhishek ceremony of the Lord at big temples. Lord Rama is an ideal whose life story makes us learn the art of performing our duties as an obedient son, a loyal brother, a true husband and a humble soul towards the tumbled and the troubled. His life inspires the devotees to remove the bad powers and enter divine strength into them.

On the day of Rama Navami, people generally take bath in the sacred river Saryu in Ayodhya and offer jal to the Hindu God Sun who is believed to be the ancestor of Rama. They chant Vedic mantras and the whole process is observed with a belief that their body and soul will get purified with the blessings of supreme power.

Chariot processing is also a great event of Rama Navami to show the peaceful Rama Rajya. The statues of Lord Rama, Lakhshmana, Mata Sita and Hanuman are decorated everywhere. They are worshipped and offered sweets and prasad for the good future and health of near and dear ones.

Both the days are auspicious and of great significance in Hindu mythology.

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Shakti Rupena Sansthita

Namastawai Namastaswai Namastaswai Namo Namah.

Alleging again that EVMs can be tampered with, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday demanded that Delhi's civic polls should be postponed if needed to use the paper ballot.

Referring to an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) in Madhya Pradesh found to have been manipulated, the AAP leader said the EVM had come from Uttar Pradesh and it raised questions about the BJP's sweeping win in assembly elections in that state.

Kejriwal said all the EVMs to be used in the April 9 by-election in Madhya Pradesh had come from Govind Nagar constituency in Uttar Pradesh and demanded to know what was so special about Govind Nagar.

The Election Commission, he said, had violated its own rules that say that EVMs used in an election can't be reused for 45 days because someone can petition against the result that would warrant an examination of the EVM.

Delhi's civic polls are due on April 23 along with a by-election from Rajouri Garden to the Delhi assembly. Kejriwal said the EVMs to be used in Rajouri Garden too had come from Uttar Pradesh.

He said paper ballot should be used in Delhi's civic polls to guarantee transparency.

And if the civic polls needed to be postponed to ensure the use of paper ballot, they should be postponed, he added.

Earlier, when the EVMs were defective, if a voter pressed the button for one party, the light for that would not glow. The voter would thus know the machine was faulty.

"But now the light glows correctly but the vote is recorded in the chip in favour of the BJP.

"So EVMs without VVPAT (paper trail) cannot be checked if they are defective or not."

Kejriwal asked the Election Commission to hand over to the AAP an EVM for 72 hours. "We have experts who will check if the chip can be rewritten or not.

"The software in the chips can be changed. This is happening on a large scale."

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in the national capital and Kolkata's Jadavpur University, which have been in the eye of storm over alleged anti-national sloganeering, figure in the top universities of the country as per a government list released on Monday.

As per the "India Rankings" under the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), JNU is the second-best university in the country after Bengaluru's Indian Institute of Science (IISc) while Jadavpur University has been ranked fifth best. 

Releasing the rankings, Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said the rankings of the universities have been ranked for their quality and not for controversies. 

"JNU or Jadavpur University have not been ranked for raising (pro-Parliament attack convict) Afzal Guru slogans. They have not been ranked for confining the Vice Chancellor but for their research work science, biotechnology and other fields," he said. 

The University of Hyderabad which hit the headlines over the suicide of its PhD student Rohith Vemula, has been ranked seventh in the lists of universities. 

While the JNU was at the eye of massive political storm last year after anti-India slogans were raised at an event on the anniversary of the hanging of Afzal Guru, similar "anti-national" slogans were also allegedly raised at the Jadavpur University as well. 

Launched in 2015, NIRF is a methodology adopted by the HRD Ministry to rank all institutions of higher education in India.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in the national capital and Kolkata's Jadavpur University, which have been in the eye of storm over alleged anti-national sloganeering, figure in the top universities of the country as per a government list released on Monday.

As per the "India Rankings" under the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), JNU is the second-best university in the country after Bengaluru's Indian Institute of Science (IISc) while Jadavpur University has been ranked fifth best. 

Releasing the rankings, Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said the rankings of the universities have been ranked for their quality and not for controversies. 

"JNU or Jadavpur University have not been ranked for raising (pro-Parliament attack convict) Afzal Guru slogans. They have not been ranked for confining the Vice Chancellor but for their research work science, biotechnology and other fields," he said. 

The University of Hyderabad which hit the headlines over the suicide of its PhD student Rohith Vemula, has been ranked seventh in the lists of universities. 

While the JNU was at the eye of massive political storm last year after anti-India slogans were raised at an event on the anniversary of the hanging of Afzal Guru, similar "anti-national" slogans were also allegedly raised at the Jadavpur University as well. 

Launched in 2015, NIRF is a methodology adopted by the HRD Ministry to rank all institutions of higher education in India.

An Indian Dhow with 11 crew members on board has been hijacked by Somali pirates, a sailor union official said here on Monday.

"The Dhow, 'Al Kausar' is said to be carrying a cargo of some edible items and foodstuffs and was proceeding from Dubai to Yemen's Al Mukala Port when it was hijacked on Saturday," National Union of Seafarers of India General Secretary Abdul Gani Serang told IANS.

He said that the vessel had crew members originating from Mandvi in Mumbai, but NUSI is not aware of their details as they don't belong to the merchant navy.

Quoting official sources, Serang said that the Dhow's master had informed the maritime authorities in Dubai and the owners of the incident and now efforts are underway to get the vessel and crew released safely from the pirates.

India's External Affairs Ministry has been apprised of the piracy while Indian maritime authorities, along with their counterparts from various African countries are coordinating the rescue efforts.

Serang termed the hijack incident as "frustration" on the part of the high sea pirates who are now under severe pressures with Indian and other nations keeping a strict vigil on the international waters and sea routes in the region since the past few years.

Pope Francis will pay an official visit to Egypt this month, as he will take part in an international conference on peace in Cairo, the Vatican's press office announced on Monday.

The pontiff will be in Cairo from April 28 to 29, where he will also meet with the head of the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox church, Pope Tawadros II, and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Efe news reported.

The Pope will then hold a meeting with Al-Azhar Mosque's leader, Ahmed al-Tayeb, and take part in the conference, but the location of these meetings has not yet been confirmed for security reasons.

The pontiff will also deliver a speech on the 70th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between the two states, and will close the day with a meeting with Tawadros II.

Pope Francis will also meet Egyptian bishops and deliver a speech before the members of the Catholic Church in the Arab country.

The first and last Roman Catholic pope to visit Egypt was John Paul II in 2000.

The game of cricket always entices people irrespective of their age and pulls them together for a few lighthearted moments. Indian Premier League (IPL) is one such bonanza that promises the best of entertainment for two months of summers.

The tenth edition of the IPL is now a week away and fans expect to have a gala time, watching the highly-competitive matches with their family and friends.

Before its beginning, let’s have a look over veterans, who would grace the biggest T20 carnival this year.

Zaheer Khan – Delhi Daredevils

Defying the age factor, 38-year-old skipper Zaheer Khan appeared in great shape in the 2016 edition of the IPL. Leading the pace attack, which was well-supported by speedsters Mohammed Shami and Chris Morris, Zaheer drafted a daunting line-up for death overs, a strategy that gave Delhi an edge over other sides.

Having played 89 IPL matches, the left-handed pacer has claimed 92 wickets with best figures of 4/17, which he claimed last year.

Before Delhi, Zaheer has played for Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians in his nine-year span of his IPL career.

Brendon McCullum – Gujarat Lions

Former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum, who retired from the international cricket in February 2016, still carries a lot of stills under his sleeve.

Being one of the support pillars in the newly formed Gujarat Lions in the IPL 2016, McCullum scored elegant 354 runs from 16 matches at a remarkable strike rate of 135.11.

While playing for Kolkata Knight Riders, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Lions in nine seasons of IPL, the 35-year-old top-order batsman has smashed 2434 runs from 92 matches with two centuries and 11 fifties.

Harbhajan Singh – Mumbai Indians

Although Harbhajan Singh still seeks a return to the national side, the 36-year-old off-spinner has maintained an imperative position in the IPL side Mumbai Indians.

The Turbanator is one of the rare players who have been associated with a single side for all nine seasons. It’s hard to imagine the Mumbai blues without Harbhajan featuring in it.

Having played 125 IPL matches, Harbhajan has claimed 119 wickets at a bowling average of 26.21. His IPL-best spell of 5/18 came against Chennai Super Kings in 2011.

Mitchell Johnson – Mumbai Indians

Mitchell Johnson is a left-handed cricketer who rewrote the history books of the IPL. Having debuted in the IPL with Mumbai Indians in 2013, the 35-year-old warhorse has returned to the MI clan this year after playing three exciting seasons with Kings XI Punjab.

With KXIP, Johnson took 28 wickets from 26 matches, however, it was it his 2013 season with the MI that gave him recognition after claiming 24 wickets at a bowling average of 19.12.

Chris Gayle – Royal Challengers Bangalore

The 37-year-old West Indies hitter Chris Gayle is truly the biggest entertainer of the millennium, especially when it comes to the shortest format of the game. It’s his sky scrapping sixes and devastating batting that gave IPL its true recognition.

So far so unbelievable, Gayle has smashed mammoth 3426 runs from 92 matches of eight seasons of the IPL. His IPL strike rate of 153.28 outclasses even his strike rate at international cricket.

Also known as the ‘Six Machine’, Gayle has scored 251 sixes in the IPL history with an overriding season of 2015, where he hit record 38 sixes. 
 
Shane Watson – Royal Challengers Bangalore

The 35-year-old bowling all-rounder Shane Watson has a special relation with the Indian soil. Remember his heart touching quote when he retired from the international cricket in March 2016, “One morning I woke up in Dharamsala to the beautiful view and I don't know what it was exactly but I knew now was the right time.”

Related enough to the culturally-rich country, Watson has been a fortune cricketer in the IPL as well. Watson has played all the nine seasons, formerly with Rajasthan Royals who lifted the trophy in the inaugural edition and currently with RCB who ended three seasons as runner-ups.

He has scored 2551 runs with two centuries and claimed 81 wickets from 92 IPL matches.

Ashish Nehra – Sunrisers Hyderabad

Ashish Nehra has come up fast and furious in the recent past defying his age. The 37-year-old Delhi-born fast bowler brings classical virtues of a left-hander on crease as he has got an impeccable combination of pace and accuracy.

The 2016 season of IPL saw Nehra led the pace attack, well-supported by Mustafizur Rahman, to propel Sunrisers to the title.

In 82 IPL matches, Nehra has taken 98 wickets at an economy of 7.74 runs per over.

Ahead of the RBI monetary policy this week, country's largest bank SBI has reduced benchmark lending rate by 0.15 per cent to 9.10 per cent, a move that will lower EMIs for borrowers.

Base rate or the minimum lending rate of the bank has been reduced from 9.25 per cent to 9.10 per cent effective April 1.

The bank has also reduced its base rate by 0.05 per cent to 9.25 per cent.

Similarly, Benchmark Prime Lending Rate (BPLR) has also been reduced by similar percentage points to 13.85 per cent from 14 per cent.

With the reduction, EMIs for the new as well as existing borrowers who have taken housing and car loans at base rate will come down by at least 0.15 per cent.

The new rate is effective from the date the bank merged five of its associates and Bharatiya Mahila Bank putting it on the list of top 50 large banks of the world.

The total customer base of the bank has reached 37 crore with a branch network of around 24,000 and nearly 59,000 ATMs across the country.

The merged entity has a deposit base of more than Rs 26 lakh crore and advances of Rs 18.50 lakh crore.

It is to be noted that the SBI has made changes in signage and logo, with its iconic keyhole set against the background of inky blue.

There have been minor changes in the design and colour of SBI's new look from April 1.

The background to the SBI signboard has been changed from white to inky blue while the SBI logo or the monogram is a few shades lighter than the existing blue.